Chad Mendes says he has no regrets about taking a fight with Conor McGregor on just over one week's notice.
The Notorious defeated the American at UFC 189 after Jose Aldo pulled out of the main event at short notice.
Mendes stepped in and was knocked out in the second round, but he insists everything happens for a reason.
He told Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show: “Yeah, I mean I think about that stuff all the time [if I had a full camp v McGregor] but I don’t have any regrets as far as taking a fight.
“That obviously was a 10-day notice fight. Of course I would rather have had a full training camp. [But] I would have been stupid to turn that fight down.
“Who knows? I could have went out there and knocked him out in the first 30 seconds. I could have won that fight. But it helped grow my brand.
"It’s just something that’s so cool to be able to look back on. My daughter’s going to look back on that one day and be like that’s a huge fight.
"I mean, being able to walk out to Aaron Lewis playing my walkout song. I don’t think the UFC’s even done that again. But that was just something I’ll never forget and I’ll always have that.”
Meanwhile, McGregor paid a glowing tribute to his compatriot Shane Lowry following his Open Championship triumph on Sunday.
Lowry blew away the field at Royal Portrush to claim his first-ever major.
The Notorious took to Twitter, saying: "Big congratulations to Irishman Shane Lowry on winning his first major at The Open today.
"To win it, and to do so on Irish soil, the first time the event has been held here, has got to feel DAMN good!
"Never underestimate an Irishman on home soil! Congrats my man".
If you haven't already, be sure to like our Irish Mirror Sport and Irish Mirror GAA pages on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
